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Ruby Winters Spencer
.jpg | portrayer = | years = 1977– | first = March 25, 1977 | last = | family = | alias = | birthname = | born = | birthplace = Harlem, New York | died = | deathplace = | occupation = Blues singer | employer = | residence = | hometown = | spouse = Buddy Powers (1942–43) Jeremiah Cromwell (1946–69) John Hawkins (1977–78) Mark Brooks (1981) Digger Barnes (1985–90) | romances = Edward Spencer | biofather = | biomother = | father = Frasier Tyson | mother = Cecilia Avant | adoptivefather = | adoptivemother = | stepfather = | stepmother = | brothers = | sisters = | halfbrothers = | halfsisters = | sons = Isaac Cromwell Harrison Cromwell | daughters = Octavia Hawkins | adoptivesons = | adoptivedaughters = | stepsons = | stepdaughters = | grandsons = Justice Cromwell Paxton Cromwell Logan Cromwell Isaiah Cromwell | granddaughters = Silver Cromwell Krystal Grayson Liberty Cromwell | grandfathers = | grandmothers = | nephews = | nieces = | uncles = | aunts = | cousins = | relatives = Sheila Cromwell (grand niece) }} Ruby Cromwell (née Avant previously Hawkins and Newman) Backstory Ruby was born to single mother, Dorothy Avant in Harlem in 1924. Ruby's mother dies when she is 14 and Ruby is taken in by local drug dealer and pimp, Leroy King. Two years later, she gives birth to Leroy's son Myron at the age of 16. After losing several of his workers, Leroy forces Ruby to fill in for some of the girls. After a night with one of Leroy's high paying white clients, Ruby discovers she is pregnant and Leroy wants her to get rid of the child. Instead, Ruby runs away from Leroy and settles in Detroit where she becomes the secretary at a local church and later welcomes her other son Clayton. To make ends meet and care for her sons, Ruby goes to work at the local theater. Ruby falls in love with the pastor's son, Johnny Hawkins and they marry in 1945. Meanwhile, Ruby becomes a very accomplished actress in her own right staring in plays and films. Ruby embraces the Hawkins family becoming very close to Johnny's sisters Virginia and Dinah. She even becomes godmother to Virginia's son, Hawk Spencer. Never knowing her father, Ruby grows very fond of her father-in-law Reverend John Hawkins, Sr and they soon start an affair. When Ruby learns she is pregnant, John swears her to secrecy fearing the revelation could destroy their family and she agrees. Not only does the pregnancy sideline her career, if the affair was ever exposed, it could destroy her career as Ruby had become known to the public eye as America's Sweetheart. Ruby and Johnny welcome their son Bradley Dexter in 1947. After Bradley's birth, Leroy tracks Ruby down and starts the family. He then forces himself on Ruby and is later arrested after a fight with Johnny. Ruby later gives birth to Leroy's daughter, Queenie whom Johnny claims as his own. Though Ruby remains faithful for the rest of the marriage, the guilt she feels eventually leads to her divorcing Johnny and moving back to New York with her children. She continues working in television, film and on Broadway from time to time, but spends the next decade devoting her life to being a good mother. In 1960 she marries local businessman Alan Newman from Buffalo, New York and is shocked when she reunites with Johnny at the wedding as Johnny is married to Alan's daughter. Bradley, now known as B.D. is ecstatic to reunite with his father after so many years but Queenie on the other hand isn't too thrilled to see him knowing he is not her father. Queenie begins acting out and Ruby sends her to live with her older sons Myron and Clayton in Chicago. Ruby is happy when Johnny and B.D. can build a real relationship which doesn't sit well with Carolyn. Johnny and B.D.'s happy reunion is short lived and Johnny is killed in Vietnam in 1964 leaving both Ruby and B.D. devastated. In 1965, after B.D. goes off to college, Ruby devotes herself full time to her career returning to television and film with a vengeance receiving critical acclaim and several awards for her portrayal of several tortured women. Storylines Ruby comes to Jericho City in 1977 after hearing about the passing of her godson Hawk Spencer. She reunites with B.D. for the first time in over a decade and also comforts her old friend Virginia when her husband cannot attend the funeral. Ruby is shocked to learn that B.D. has been married for three years now. She and B.D.'s wife psychiatrist Dr. Patricia Hawkins immediately clash because Ruby accuses Patricia of having a thing for B.D.'s uncle Abe Hawkins. Meanwhile, Pat's mother and John's wife Lady Crane is weary of Ruby's presence being very aware of her husband's wondering eye. Ruby is shocked to learn from Pat's colleague, Dr. Cassie Winograd that Pat was once married to Abe and that they share a son together. Ruby realizes that Pat scares her so much because of her own skeletons. She bonds with Pat when she learns she is pregnant much Lady's dismay. Ruby is ecstatic when B.D. and Pat welcome their daughter Courtney in early 1978 delivered by Cassie after she and gets stuck in the elevator with a laboring Pat. Ruby is shocked when she overhears a confrontation between B.D. and Cassie discussing their past affair. Ruby later hires private investigator Lloyd Thompson to find all he can about Cassie. Meanwhile, Lady blames Ruby when John suddenly divorces her for Jennifer Shepherd. Jennifer takes a special interest in Ruby who is shocked to learn that Jennifer was married to her father, Walter Shepherd. A womanizing Walter carried on affairs with several women, including Ruby's mother Dorothy. Jennifer revealed that Walter had left her some money and instead of keeping it for herself, Ruby puts the money in a trust fund for Courtney. Ruby immediately bonds with her half-sister world renowned fashion designer Katheryn Forrester and she strikes up a business deal with Katheryn and her husband Sterling Forrester II for Ruby to model for the company. In early 1979, Ruby notices Pat has been exhibiting strange behavior and is shocked to discover that Pat has secretly been meeting with Cassie Winograd. While Cassie believes they are friends, Ruby uncovers that Pat has suffered a severe psychotic break and had been planning to kill Cassie and several others. Ruby blackmails Cassie into leaving town using information about her past and forces B.D. to take responsibility and have Pat committed for psychiatric evaluation immediately. In the summer of 1979, B.D. sets Ruby up on a blind date with his former army buddy, Captain Mark Brooks and the two immediately share a connection. However, John and his daughter-in-law Carolyn Hawkins notice something strange about Mark and warn Ruby away from him. Meanwhile, Ruby and Mark fall in love and become engaged. Mark and Ruby are about to be married in March 1980 when Carolyn interrupts the wedding with DNA evidence that Mark Brooks is actually an amnesiac Johnny Hawkins having undergone extensive plastic surgery. To further complicate matters, Carolyn reveals that she ordered three paternity tests -- two of which came from her own children that confirmed Mark's true identity. However, the third paternity test for B.D. had revealed that he and Johnny are not father and son. Devastated and humiliated, Ruby does her best to explain to the angry family -- especially to her son B.D. A furious Virginia demands to know the identity of B.D.'s father and all are shocked when John claims the boy as his own. An angry B.D. leaves town shortly after with Courtney and disappears refusing to have any contact with anyone in the family. * In 1985, after Jennifer's death, it was revealed by Leroy King that Frasier Tyson -- not Walter Shepherd was Ruby's father. Frasier had died shortly before her parents' arrived on Ellis Island in early 1924. References External links